In your dreams, Bob; do you REALLY think ORTA and OEA-R will go out on a limb for retirees?

From RH Jones, May 24, 2010
Subject: Re: a need for ORTA & OEA-R to counter today's Wall St. Journal

To ORTA & OEA-R:

There are three negative letters concerning Defined Benefits in the Wall Street Journal today, 24May10, which need a rebuttal, this time, by the Director or the President of both these two unions in which I am a member.

Their unfounded claims are that taxpayers support us retirees. You well know that this is delayed compensation that we negotiated honorably with our employer, both on the state and local level, to was to be invested in our STRS to provide for our future pension. This keeps professional college educated educators off the public dole, that all of us taxpayers support, including teachers in a dozen other states that have Defined Benefit (a misnomer) Retirement Systems.

Letters-to-the-Editor by the leadership carries more weight than that of the individual members -- You have got to do this. For one thing, it’s free advertisement. Both, say you need new members; this would certainly help. Note: The Wall Street Journal is sent out nationally and is read by millions.

In these critical times of relentless media attacks on retired teachers – among them, I hear it on WNIR radio every day. We are educators, and must educate the ignorant until or dying day; we are also motivators, and must motivate, also, until our dying day.

RHJones, Life Member of ORTA & OEA-R